Global Health Challenges. Combating pandemics effectively is just one of many challenges facing healthcare systems. In addition, we particularly need better access to healthcare in developing countries, ensure healthcare in conflict areas, and reduce the negative health effects of climate change and pollution. Overcoming these challenges will neither be easy nor cheap. Although experts assume that health expenditure will increase worldwide, the gap between poor and rich countries will not decrease.
Healthcare of the Future. Medicine, medical technology and pharmaceuticals are highly research-intensive. The financial, organizational and staffing effort is considerable. Despite this, groundbreaking innovations keep making it to market – let’s just think of mRNA vaccines, which have played such a crucial role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Cell and gene therapy and the growing use of AI are further examples of future important healthcare applications.
Caregiving. As the population ages, the need for care will continue to increase. This particularly affects industrialized countries, but also others, such as China, where in 2050 more than a quarter of the population will be 65 years old or older. In order to ensure efficient care, high levels of investment in the care system are necessary and many additional care workers have to be recruited.
We thank Steffen Geering for his editorial contributions.